Letters Home from a Yankee Doughboy 1916-1919

How is things going anyway? Im not kicking a bit. Before leaving Westfield I packed that uniform that I wore on my visits home in a trunk that the Mess Sergeant shipped as kitchen utensels, said trunk having just arrived. Well you should have seen me try to get into the blouse. It fit me pretty tight when I was home there but now its like trying to get into one of Mary’s waists. Its simply a case of getting out and exercising for about an hour every morning that’s all and then I don’t know but what Ill do a Jim Jeffery stunt (fail to come back). The trouble is Bert, Im getting fat “No Kidding.”

Tomorrow we start in on our extensive training and that might change my frame back again. We will soon be getting right into good hard work and this little weight that Ive taken on will come in very handy. I had a swell time traveling second class and eating the best of grub on the boat over, and although we’ve hit some pretty tough joints and feeds since leaving said boat, on our trip across England across the channel and so far into France, but we are here, and for the winter too by the looks, and as Ive said in openning Im not kicking.

We are getting U.S. Army rations now and tonight we had coffee, the first since leaving the Saxonia. Im not allowed to say when we left the boat nor how long it has taken us to get from one stop over to another but it has been quit a while since we got coffee and believe me it did tast good. I hope all this mail Im sending to the States gets to its destination for in answer to all Im sending it ought to bring me some letters on the next boat.

I would like to see the out side of a sack of Bull Durham or any kind of a white man’s cigarett. We are in tough straights here for smokes, and if (or when) we do get paid there is no chance to get said tobacco for they don’t have it here anyway.

All Ive done the last week is write letters. Although there is all kinds of red, white & blue wine here and it can be bought for almost a song (I haven’t even got a song) I still camp here and write in hopes that Ill get some mail soon.

We expect to be paid for two months the 20th and then this town will be mostly red. How is that half dozen up in the back room. Hoping this finds you all well.

Im stillSam

P.S. Give that turkey a licking for me will you? I can smell it away over here. They say it is good to have a big appetite. Im a Venus in this line. OH for a mouthful of stuffing or a chance at the bathroom. Same old bull but its good to dream about.